The Zamfara State Government says it has successfully contained the cholera outbreak that recently affected communities across all 14 Local Government Areas of the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Nafisa Maradun, disclosed this during an After-Action Review meeting on the state’s cholera response held at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre in Gusau. She was represented by the Director of Public Health, Yusuf Haske.
According to the commissioner, Zamfara recorded 15,464 cholera cases during the outbreak. Of these, 15,265 patients were treated and discharged, while 192 deaths occurred across the LGAs.
Maradun described the state’s success in halting the outbreak as a demonstration of its commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsive governance. She added that the government had developed a strengthened Pandemic Preparedness Plan to tackle future public health threats, including cholera, diarrhoea, cerebrospinal meningitis, and heavy metal contamination.
She also said letters of appreciation had been issued to development partners who supported the response.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) State Coordinator, Raji Mukhtar, said effective planning, proper coordination under the Incident Management System, and accurate data reporting were crucial to managing the outbreak. He noted that early challenges in Zurmi and Anka LGAs created room for misinformation, especially after media reports from Gummi heightened public anxiety.
Mukhtar commended the eventual harmonisation of partner support and the state government’s “strong political will,” which ensured the timely release of resources.
He emphasised the need for more consistent data reporting at the local government level, particularly through Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers.
The review meeting was attended by major health partners, including WHO, UNICEF, AFENET, Solidarity Support, IRC, the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and key government agencies such as the Primary Health Care Board, Ministries of Information and Environment, ZESA, Humanitarian Affairs, and Ruwatsan.
The state government said it remains committed to strengthening its public health systems and improving the wellbeing of residents.
